We are starting the New Year with a bang by announcing the name of our new 2019 show –XANADU.

It is midsummer 1973 in Hyde Park and the flower power movement is at its height. Hippies, hipsters, rock stars, musicians, wild women and global nomads with shamanic horses gather to play, sing, dance, protest and perform. Policemen and a family of out-of-towners get caught up in the celebrations. Will they get in the groove? Nell Gifford builds a pleasure-dome and Tweedy has a job in the kitchen as he thought everyone was talking about “Flour Power”. As evening approaches, the ever more chaotic event careers towards a joyful, transcendental finale. Be there or be square!

Xanaduopens on Friday 3rd May in our hometown of Stroud, Gloucestershire, before touring the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, London, Berkshire and Wiltshire throughout the summer.

Fans of Giffords Circus include Jennifer Saunders and Adrian Edmondson, Helena Bonham-Carter and Vivienne Westwood, but despite a celebrity following Giffords remains a ‘village-green’ style show at heart that continues to sell out shows to all who have fallen under its spell.

“2019 is the new summer of love and there’s a new dawn breaking at Giffords Circus as the big top is transformed into a lush green pleasure-dome,” said Nell Gifford, show producer and founder.

“There will be a hint of the seventies in the styling of this year’s show and we are having great fun drawing inspiration from the music and art of this time.”

Xanadu will welcome a plethora of new acts in 2019 that include:

Lil Rice, niece of Nell Gifford and daughter of Emma Bridgewater who will wow the audience with her amazing cyr wheel act.

Jacob D’ Eustachio, a talented juggler originally from New York City, and educated at Canada’s École de Cirque de Québec, who has performed in 13 countries on five continents.

Anna Rastsova who will bring a NEW act, the swinging trapeze, an act never before seen in the Giffords Circus big top.

And introducing the daring Donerts, a family who hail from Hungary and are making their UK debut with their pas de deux and vaulting act that will have audiences gasping in delight.

Of course, Giffords Circus fan favourite Tweedy the Clown fresh from his performance in the Everyman Theatre’s Waiting for Godot, the Curatola Brothers and Nell Gifford, herself will all return to the ring.

Since 2012, Giffords shows have been directed by Cal McCrystal, whose credits include Iolanthe at the English National Opera, Paddington, Paddington 2 and One Man Two Guvnors. Maverick, naughty and uncompromising, Cal leads the company through a three-week rehearsal period at the Giffords Circus farm in the Cotswolds, ahead of them hitting the road.